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Mix: Ringtones, Cirrus Logic, HTC, SendStation

By Charles Starrett ● Wednesday, September 12, 2007

Another method of creating free iPhone ringtones from standard AAC files has been discovered by the same MacRumors forum member who found the original method last week. The new process is currently slightly more technical, but appears to be more dependable.

Roth Capital’s Jay Srivatsa claims that an audio codec chip from Cirrus Logic has been designed into the iPod classic, replacing a part from Wolfson Microelectronics, reports Barron’s.

HTC CEO Peter Chou, while praising the iPhone’s multi-touch interface, blasted the handset’s design in an interview with BusinessWeek. “The iPhone design is very beautiful,” Chou said. “However, the phone design is quite weak; it’s very, very basic.” He went on to say that HTC’s understanding of the different needs of cellular operators and the company’s ability to tweak its handsets as necessary gives HTC “a huge advantage.”

SendStation has announced a new black version of its popular SendStation Dock Extender. It comes with a matching Universal Dock insert, three interchangeable bumper caps to accommodate various iPod models, and is available now for $29.

2

Beautiful and weak are not opposites, though - I bet you can think of lots of things that are beautiful and weak.

Posted by Peter T on September 13, 2007 at 5:59 AM (CDT)

3

I think Chou is mistaking what the “cellular operators” for what the consumers want.
“cellular operators” want things like MMS, and Aural Voicemail, since they lock the Consumer into using the Telecommunications Network.
Unlike MMS, Email isn’t dependant on the Network Connection, so consumers don’t have to deal with exhorborant data prices. Visual Voicemail means that Consumers only have to transfer the Audio to their handset once; Traditional Audio-Menu Voicemail requires the consumer to be connected.

The iPhone may not be what “cellular operators”, but it is definitely what consumers want.

Posted by Daniel William Woods on September 13, 2007 at 7:02 AM (CDT)

4

He’s only talking from the viewpoint of a manufacturer, not a a consumer. He’s just generating traffic for his own site. I resent this.